State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory102

  • Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Some towns and cities can get soaked even when the skies are dry—and these so-called sunny day floods are on the rise thanks to climate change.

  • A Bit of Sun on an Antarctic Thanksgiving

    A Bit of Sun on an Antarctic Thanksgiving

    The Rosetta team made two big accomplishments this week: Our lidar returned some beautiful 3D images of the sea ice topography, which can be used to study small details of the ice. And our own Chloe Gustafson won first place in the Antarctic Turkey Trot. She now holds the honor of being the first woman…

  • Greener on the Other Side: ESP Students’ Sustainability Podcast

    Greener on the Other Side: ESP Students’ Sustainability Podcast

    Students from the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program at SIPA have produced a podcast called “Greener on the Other Side,” on sustainability, climate change, and the environment.

  • Ear to the Ground, Listening for Nuclear Blasts

    Ear to the Ground, Listening for Nuclear Blasts

    Seismologist Lynn Sykes has been working for more than 50 years to halt the testing of nuclear bombs. In his forthcoming book, Silencing the Bomb: One Scientist’s Quest to Halt Nuclear Testing, Sykes provides an insider’s look at the science behind detecting explosions, and international efforts to establish a series of treaties.

  • Wind, Snow and Ice: Summer in Antarctica

    Wind, Snow and Ice: Summer in Antarctica

    The theme of the past week has been the weather. Weather is of course always happening, but in the lingo of McMurdo Station, ‘weather’ means ‘bad weather.’

  • What We Know About Medicanes—Hurricane-Like Storms in the Mediterranean

    What We Know About Medicanes—Hurricane-Like Storms in the Mediterranean

    They’re rare but can be dangerous, as demonstrated by Medicane Numa’s destruction in Greece last week.

  • Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Tightly packed sediments help the Cascadia Subduction Zone generate large earthquakes, and could boost its ability to trigger a large tsunami.

  • Let’s Talk About Crevasses—Deep Fractures in Antarctica’s Ice

    Let’s Talk About Crevasses—Deep Fractures in Antarctica’s Ice

    The word “crevasse” sends shivers down the spine of anyone who works on a glacier. Sometimes hundreds of feet deep and hidden beneath a thin layer of snow, these cracks have claimed the lives of many polar explorers and scientists. They also appear quite frequently in our sensors as we fly our survey flights for…

  • Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Two solar arrays in Upstate New York will be up and ready at the end of November, poised to provide power and to help to reduce the Lamont campus’ carbon footprint.

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

  • Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Why Do Floods Sometimes Happen on Sunny Days?

    Some towns and cities can get soaked even when the skies are dry—and these so-called sunny day floods are on the rise thanks to climate change.

  • A Bit of Sun on an Antarctic Thanksgiving

    A Bit of Sun on an Antarctic Thanksgiving

    The Rosetta team made two big accomplishments this week: Our lidar returned some beautiful 3D images of the sea ice topography, which can be used to study small details of the ice. And our own Chloe Gustafson won first place in the Antarctic Turkey Trot. She now holds the honor of being the first woman…

  • Greener on the Other Side: ESP Students’ Sustainability Podcast

    Greener on the Other Side: ESP Students’ Sustainability Podcast

    Students from the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program at SIPA have produced a podcast called “Greener on the Other Side,” on sustainability, climate change, and the environment.

  • Ear to the Ground, Listening for Nuclear Blasts

    Ear to the Ground, Listening for Nuclear Blasts

    Seismologist Lynn Sykes has been working for more than 50 years to halt the testing of nuclear bombs. In his forthcoming book, Silencing the Bomb: One Scientist’s Quest to Halt Nuclear Testing, Sykes provides an insider’s look at the science behind detecting explosions, and international efforts to establish a series of treaties.

  • Wind, Snow and Ice: Summer in Antarctica

    Wind, Snow and Ice: Summer in Antarctica

    The theme of the past week has been the weather. Weather is of course always happening, but in the lingo of McMurdo Station, ‘weather’ means ‘bad weather.’

  • What We Know About Medicanes—Hurricane-Like Storms in the Mediterranean

    What We Know About Medicanes—Hurricane-Like Storms in the Mediterranean

    They’re rare but can be dangerous, as demonstrated by Medicane Numa’s destruction in Greece last week.

  • Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Tightly packed sediments help the Cascadia Subduction Zone generate large earthquakes, and could boost its ability to trigger a large tsunami.

  • Let’s Talk About Crevasses—Deep Fractures in Antarctica’s Ice

    Let’s Talk About Crevasses—Deep Fractures in Antarctica’s Ice

    The word “crevasse” sends shivers down the spine of anyone who works on a glacier. Sometimes hundreds of feet deep and hidden beneath a thin layer of snow, these cracks have claimed the lives of many polar explorers and scientists. They also appear quite frequently in our sensors as we fly our survey flights for…

  • Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Lamont to Harvest Sunshine from Solar Farm

    Two solar arrays in Upstate New York will be up and ready at the end of November, poised to provide power and to help to reduce the Lamont campus’ carbon footprint.